So, bought a used Rogue... Huh...

[Hudmister]

To Parker135, sorry for the delayed response to your question as to how I removed the finish on my Rogue. Well it was not easy due to the learning curve I went through figuring out what works. Here is what works. Use paint remover/stripper that is rated for epoxy resin type finish. Remove the tailpiece and pick guard and tape the white binding around the body with painters tape. Brush on a thick layer of the epoxy stripper and wait until it starts to bubble up and then start scrapping with a dull putty knife or something similar. Don't gouge the wood. You will need to do this three or four times to get all the finish off. You will not get down to bare wood because the wood is treated with a clear sealer that will not come off, out of the wood grain. This clear sealer leaves a nice satin looking finish you can buff up. Wear latex gloves and eye protection in a ventilated space and don't splash any of the remover on you because it will hurt if you do. Reinstall the hardware being careful of the screws that hold the tailpiece on because the screws can snap easily. I used better quality replacement screws when I replaced the tailpiece. This is what I did and yes the sound improved but the mandolin still retains that distinctive Rouge tone. I use medium gauge strings to replace the poor quality light strings that come on a Rouge. Good luck if you give it a try.